1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with merchandising, and in particular with packaging and retail display of neckties.
2. Description of the Related Art
A modern necktie has a front side comprising seamless cloth with a pleasing pattern and a backside with a lengthwise seam, and includes a wide section and a narrow section. FIG. 1 depicts two views of a typical modern necktie 100 of the prior art showing: (A) the front side 101 of the wide section and the backside 102 of the narrow section of the necktie with seam 103; and (B) the front side 104 of the narrow section and the backside 105 of the wide section of the necktie with seam 106. A cloth strip 107 is usually attached to backside 105 of the wide section of necktie 100 via stitching at each end of the cloth strip so as to form a first “loop” through which the narrow end of the necktie may be inserted to keep it out of sight and out of the way. A second strip of cloth 108 displaying a logo or brand name may also be attached to backside 105 via stitching at each end so as to form a second loop that may also serve the same function as the first loop. Only one such loop is needed to practice the present invention and no distinction with respect to the type of loop is made. The terminology presented in this paragraph is used throughout this document.
Packaging and retail displays for neckties need to be attractive and readily maintained in an orderly condition. Consumers often disassemble necktie packaging and leave unpackaged neckties lying about, which degrades the appearance of the display and may result in lost or confusing pricing information. Available tamper-resistant packaging offers limited opportunities for creating attractive packaging and for brand advertisement. There is a need for economical necktie packaging that is attractive, discourages disassembly, and offers enhanced opportunity for brand advertisement.